Jailing the defendant, District Judge Peter King said if the injuries caused to the boy had been meted out to an adult on a night out he would have "thrown the book" at him never mind that it was "reprehensible" they were caused to his own son.

Judge King said a doctor reported the boy said he was hit "five times" on the side of the head and although the child was not knocked out "bits of the sink" had to be picked out of his hair.

The judge said if it had not been a guilty plea and McAllister, from Gortnagory Road, Carnlough, Co Antrim, had contested the case and lost he would have been jailed for 11 months.

The boy had to get stitches to a head wound and the the judge said a medic listed bruises on his forehead, near his eye, cheek, shoulder, chest, elbow, thigh and shin.

McAllister, who had 18 previous convictions including assaults, was freed on his own bail of £500 pending appeal.

A prosecutor said the electrician was separated from his wife and the injured boy and his brother had been staying with him for the weekend.